A CRIME prevention scheme that has helped secure more than 3,000 arrests in the past 10 years is to be upgraded.

The network of 29 CCTV cameras in Accrington town centre is to be replaced by a high-tech digital system after concerns were raised about reliability of the ageing cameras.

Town centre manager Bill Huntley said the improvements, expected to be completed in the next few months, will make a "significant contribution towards enhancing community safety."

He said: "The old analogue system has been showing serious signs of wear and tear and has been causing concerns around reliability.

"It is also proving increasingly expensive to maintain and repair and compromises are having to be made in relation to living with certain faults."

Hyndburn Borough Council's CCTV system is located at Accrington police station but the new technology will be housed at a monitoring suite at the Eastern Division police headquarters in Greenbank, Blackburn.

Mr Huntley added: "Funding has been secured and all the equipment is in place and will soon be ready. It will significantly improve coverage."

He said the main aim of CCTV was to assist in crime prevention, protect public safety, identify incidents of anti-social behaviour and assist the police in investigating criminal offences.

Main benefits of the new system, which has been paid for by the Home Office, is that it will provide higher quality images as well as better reliability.

A spokeswoman for Hyndburn Council said she was unable to find out the cost of the scheme because of staff absences.

Insp Terry Woods from Accrington Police said: "CCTV is a powerful crime prevention tool and cameras have helped make Accrington a safer place."